Africa RISING Malawi cropping system design modelling meeting
5 - 7 June, 2017
Lilongwe, Malawi
Participants
Leonard Rusinamhodzi, CIMMYT
Anthony Whitbread, ICRISAT
Patrick Okori, ICRISAT
Vincent Vadez, ICRISAT
Amos Ngwira, ICRISAT
Vimbayi Chimonyo, MSU
Princess Adjei Frimprong, MSU
John Dimes, ICRISAT
Regis Chikowo, MSU
Sieg Snapp, MSU
Brad Peter, MSU
Placid Mpeketula, MSU
Timmy Silberg, MSU
Robbie Richardson, MSU
Ho Young Kwo, IFPRI
Carl Timler, WUR
Jeroen Groot, WUR
Patricia Masikati, ICRISAT
Jim Kells, MSU
Esther Mugi, IPNI/WUR
Ron Bates, MSU
Objective/Purpose
The main objective of the workshop was to take stock of findings based on application of APSIM and related cropping system models to enhance design and sustainable intensification of farming systems, including what has been learned over two decades in Malawi and surrounding countries, and frame a pathway for the future.
Agenda Day 1 (5 June, 2017) Morning: Big picture' what have we learned? (FarmSim, APSIM applications in SE African farming system sustainable intensification design)
Welcome and Introductions - Sieg Snapp
ESA Africa RISING farm system design - insights from models - Leonard Rusinamhodzi
Modeling at farm scale and beyond - Carl Timler
APSIM for participatory action research on sustainable intensification - a changing climate - Regis Chikowo
APSIM - applications and aspirations in cropping system design - Vimbayi Chimonyo
APSIM lessons learned in cropping system designs - John Dimes
Afternoon: 'Deep dive' what have we learned
Crop modelling insights from a plant physiologist - Vincent Vadez
APSIM lessons in understanding cropping systems performance - Leonard Rusinamhodzi
Stock taking on existing data, validation and parameterization - Amos Ngwira
Systems dynamics modelling - new directions for Africa RISING research - Robbie Richardson
Modeling marginal and resilient agriculture at scale - Brad Peter (MSU geographer/APSIM)
Day 2 (6 June, 2017) Where are we going?
Crop modeling application, how can we use it and limitations - Anthony Whitbread
Application examples: Princess, Carl, Amos, others - (reports on outputs from APSIM training session conducted just before the workshop)
Hands-on feedback sessions for model application examples - (participants to work in small groups with students to help improve the model applications and studies underway)
Small group work - What is underway - what trials can provide input into model validation and parameterization
Anthony Whitbread New science needed to improve crop models
Day 3 (7 June, 2017)
Next steps - planning a ways forward
NOTES
Day 1 (Monday June 5th) morning - 'Big picture' what have we learned?
Patrick Okori - Welcome and Introductions
Chair Morning Session: Dr. M. Lowole, Soil Scientist, LUANAR
Speakers (20 min talks with 10 min for discussion)
Sieg Snapp - Conjunctions or disruptions?
Leonard Rusinamhodzi - Farm system design in East and Southern Africa - insights from models
Anthony Whitbread - Crop modeling application, how can we use it and limitations
Regis Chikowo - APSIM for participatory action research on SI - Africa RISING experience
Tea/Coffee break
VimbayiChimonyo - APSIM - review of literature on applications to cropping systems
John Dimes - APSIM - lessons learned in cropping system designs
Panel discussion by the morning session speakers: Modelling Tradeoffs and Synergies in SI
Lunch
Day 1 Afternoon: Experiences from the field and moving forward
Chair Afternoon Session Dr. WeziMhango
Marc Corbeels - Experiences in SI with FIELD
Robbie Richardson - Integrated modeling of social-ecological systems
Tea/Coffee break
Carl Timler - Modelling from the farm to the landscape level using FARMDESIGN
Ho Young Kwo - Improvements in modeling soil C pools
Amos Ngwira - APSIM intercropping system applications
Day 2 (6th June)- 'Deep dive' - application of APSIM
Chair Morning Session: Dr Patrick Okori
Anthony Whitbread - Introduction - next steps in modeling and cropping systems design for SI
Student Reports - Reports on outputs from APSIM training session
Tea/Coffee Break
Student and Postdoc Reports
Reports on outputs from APSIM training session
General Discussion of Topics
Lunch
Chair Afternoon Session: Dr Anthony Whitbread
Small group work model applications
Six groups based on the reports presented in the morning.
Tea/Coffee Break
Report back/discussion
Day 3
Chair Morning Session - Dr. Chikowo Chair
Way forward
Amy Quand - LandPKS landpotential.org
Placid Mpeketula - LandNPK for citizen science
Sieg Snapp et al. - Technologies and targeting for precision agriculture
Summary
Next Steps
Key priorities for next steps and for Africa RISING Malawi discussed at workshop:
There is a need to concentrate on improving legume productivity across the different cropping systems
There is need to tailor technologies based on agro-ecology, socio-economic characteristics and market access
This can be done by using the available data on productivity and yield stability
Assessing farmer preferences and market trends of component crops
There may be need also to adjust technology options for farmers based on market fluctuations
It was suggested that there is a need to influence current policy for the production and economics of legume crops.
This was mainly directed at the value of pigeon pea as a multipurpose crop, groundnut seed systems and soybean market volatility
To improve uptake and adoption it was suggested that there should be more farmer and extension services exchange visits within and across the districts
To deal with some bottlenecks in uptake and adoption of technologies, it was suggested that there is need to assess the whole value chain of the technologies under Africa RISING and for legumes
There may be need to further capacitate extension services so as to improve uptake and adoption of technologies, and technical management of on-farm trials.
This may be done by increased engagement via workshops and training
Producing training manuals for the technologies, based on farmer participatory research linked to farming systems modeling
Key points regarding modeling next steps:
One step that was agreed upon was the need to get good estimates of soil moisture lower limit (LL-15) and drained upper limit (DUL) for pigeonpea for different soils to improve model parameterization. Dr Amos Ngwira has began work on this already with initial bulk density and soil moisture measurements at Chitedze on 2 soils as part of methodology development, along with nine sites under Africa RISING (5 old ones and 4 residue management sites, Chiwimbo Gwenambira’s dissertation research)
Amos Ngwira to document available data, activities and experiments drawing from experiences of Africa RISING, with support from Drs. Chikowo and Snapp. This will be complemented with literature review on intercropping and APSIM modelling. Gaps identified from past data will inform new sets of experiments to support modelling work.
APSIM is sensitive to mineral N initialization –at the workshop this was highlighted and ChiwimboGwenambira will focus on this data at several Africa RISING sites, with 7 sampling dates to depth over the 2017-2018 growing seasion as part of her investigations on residue quality and quantity effects. She will sample in unfertilzed plots, + maize stover, + pigeon residues, and + pp and groundnut stover (doubled-up system) at the beginning of the season, 2 weeks after rains to get an estimate of the N flush that can be directly used to parameterize starting mineral N, and all through the growing season (using direct KCl extraction in the field for moist soil, plus gravimetric soil moisture determinations to depth).
Future steps: Africa RISING Malawi to work with graduate students to include at least onemodelling chapter in their theses. Aspects such as use of appropriate curve numbers to represent the effect of tied ridging would make APSIM handy when analyzing soil water -nutrients relations for climate smart interventions.
Appendix: Outputs from the working Groups
APSIM application – Dr Amos Ngwira and DrVimbayiChimonyo and colleagues
To identify the best spatial arrangements of intercropping maize and pigeon pea varieties (short, medium and long pigeon pea varieties) for different farms and agro ecological zones. This will be in terms of resource use efficiencies I.e. nutrients, water and light
To identify the most suitable groundnut varieties for intercropping with pigeon pea and most suitable varieties of pigeon pea for intercropping with maize
To assess the contribution of double up legumes to the following maize/cereal crop (residual N)
Weed management – Dr. Robbie Richardson Timmy Silberg and colleagues
Research questions
What is the role of soil texture and nutrients in Striga emergence?
(a) 2015 and 2016 survey data on high- and low-fertility plots (Africa RISING Malawi panel data)
(b) Soil sample data
Which weed management method is most effective at sustaining maize yields? (APSIM)
Africa RISING Malawi cropping system design modelling meeting
5 - 7 June, 2017
Lilongwe, Malawi
Participants
Objective/Purpose
The main objective of the workshop was to take stock of findings based on application of APSIM and related cropping system models to enhance design and sustainable intensification of farming systems, including what has been learned over two decades in Malawi and surrounding countries, and frame a pathway for the future.
Agenda
Day 1 (5 June, 2017)
Morning: Big picture' what have we learned? (FarmSim, APSIM applications in SE African farming system sustainable intensification design)
Afternoon: 'Deep dive' what have we learned
Day 2 (6 June, 2017)
Where are we going?
Day 3 (7 June, 2017)
NOTES
Day 1 (Monday June 5th) morning - 'Big picture' what have we learned?
Day 2 (6th June)- 'Deep dive' - application of APSIM
Day 3
Key priorities for next steps and for Africa RISING Malawi discussed at workshop:
Key points regarding modeling next steps:
Appendix: Outputs from the working Groups
APSIM application – Dr Amos Ngwira and DrVimbayiChimonyo and colleagues
Weed management – Dr. Robbie Richardson Timmy Silberg and colleagues
Research questions